Holding Tight
by MoonFace01
Summary: With the introduction of an ice eyed intended, Tamaki is ready to disband the Host Club...but one member refuses to let go. Oneshot Sere/Tamaki, during episode 25/26.


…haha, so MoonFace, you have time to write this but not your other stuff

…haha, so MoonFace, you have time to write this but not your other stuff? I know, I know! This idea hit me when I first saw the Ouran episode 25/26, and I had to get it out of my head to concentrate on other stuff. The other chapters of the other stories are coming, but in the meantime, here's something to tide you over…I hope.

Serena belongs to Naoko Takeuchi (did I spell it right?), the song 'Show Must Go On' belongs to Queen and whoever wrote it, the Ouran cast belongs to Bisco Hatori, and the song 'God Help the Outcasts' belongs to Disney.

Enjoy!

--

The Prince and the Pauper

--

Serena's eyes widened as she heard Tamaki say he was engaged to Éclair…a girl named after a food of all the things! Then the floor fell from beneath her feet as she met Tamaki's eyes…they were soulless, devoid of all the warmth he ever held in his body. That vampire with the icy eyes sucked it out of him!

And yet…

She felt her body go cold, and she couldn't move. Her eyes began to sting and she knew she had to get out of that room…all those times they'd been together meant nothing to him; they were just scattered moments in the wind.

When Haruhi heard the news, her eyes shot to her best friend to find her eyes just as devoid of life as Tamaki's. The two had been spending an awful lot of time together, and Haruhi remembered the night when Serena confided in her that she had feelings for the Host King.

--

_Haruhi smiled at her friend from across her dorm room. "So, you like Tamaki?"_

_Serena had blushed, but nodded. "Yeah, he's so sweet, you know? He knows just how to make me smile." _

--

Serena shook her head and grabbed it, tilting slightly, faking a fever. Forcing her face to grow hot, she coughed.

Haruhi caught quickly on to her friend's plan. "See Yuki?" Haruhi asked as she caught the smaller 'boy'. "I told you not do over-do yourself so you wouldn't make yourself sicker, and look what you do?"

From the front of the room, Tamaki felt his eyes widen the slightest unnoticeable bit. 'She was sick and she didn't tell me?'

The blonde girl nodded. "Sorry Haruhi, I just wanted today to be a success, that's all." She felt bad for lying, but she had to leave gracefully. Making a scene in public wasn't an option; she couldn't disgrace Tamaki more than he already was...for surely that's what she was to him: a disgraceful, dirty, peasant. With more coughs, she let her hands come up to rub at her eyes, hoping to muffle the small sob that escaped.

Obviously she was successful, because Kyoya helped her up by her elbow. "Haruhi, lead Yuki to his room, would you please? We don't need him to get any sicker than he is already." Either that or the youngest Ootori brother was even smarter than he looked.

--

As soon as Serena and Haruhi arrived at Serena's dorm room, Serena collapsed into Haruhi's arms. "Why?! Can't he see through that girl? She's so cold!"

Haruhi didn't know what to say to her clearly heartbroken friend, so she just hugged her. She had Hikaru, so she really couldn't tell her friend she knew how she felt…there wasn't an insane grandmother shunning her boyfriend and his brother. She could only calm her best friend with hugs and soft whispers. What her friend said next though, made her furious.

"I'm just a dirty little peasant to him…if he wants to be head of the family, he has to marry well, which isn't me."

Haruhi didn't know what happened…one minute she was listening to her friend give herself a pity party, the next thing she knew, she slapped her. "Don't you ever say that!" she shouted as she watched Serena grab her now red cheek. "You are _not_ worthless, you're the best thing that's happened to him, and to me! You gave me confidence, and now Hikaru and I are together, and you gave Tamaki an anchor! You're his rock in hard times, he goes to you! You're _not _worthless!"

Serena shook her head and heaved a sigh. "I need time to think Haruhi, please."

Haruhi gave her friend a sad smile, calming down. "Ok, but I'm here of you need me." Seeing her friend nod, Haruhi stood from the bed and left.

'It's raining,' Serena noted as two identical tears found their way down her face. "The Earth is crying, just. Like. Me." Defeated, she let her eyes close as she cried herself to sleep.

--

Hikaru frowned at Tamaki and the cream puff. 'Honestly, she's sucking the life out of him, and he's hurt Serena… can't he see that?' A small click rang through the deathly silent room as Haruhi walked back into the room. "I gave him some medicine and things…it's just a slight fever, he'll be ok." The red head sadly watched as his Lord's body slumped ever so slightly in relief.

Kaoru's frown mirrored his brother's. 'I wonder what made him decide to disband the club and become engaged to that ice eyed witch?' It had to have been very tempting to get in the good graces of his Lord.

Hunny hugged his pink bunny closer to his chest. 'Poor Serena,' he thought. His younger sister couldn't be taking this well; at least that's what she felt like to him. She always looked to him when she was having problems, and he always made her feel better. Something told him she wouldn't bounce back after this shock.

Mori watched the emotions flit across Hunny's face, the feelings inside his body matching that of the small blonde's. The entire Host Club seemed to deflate with the weight of Tamaki's news, and it hit Serena the hardest of them all.

Kyoya pushed the glasses back on his face, glad the shield was there now to mask the emotions flying across his eyes. 'Tamaki would never disband the club unless something dire came up.' It made the junior curious about what had happened behind closed doors with the girl who was named after a dessert.

"Well," Tamaki sighed. "I'd best get you back to Grandmother so you can get some rest," Tamaki said as he held his arm out to Éclair. With a smirk to the other Host members, she gratefully took it, the opera glasses at her side flashing in the blood-red sunset.

In her room, Serena sighed. It was around midnight, and she couldn't sleep. Eyeing her guitar, she placed earphones over her ears. She lifted the leather strap over her head and let the weight of the instrument fall over her heart. 'How ironic,' she thought with a bitter smile. Tapping out a beat, she sighed weakly as she began her song.

Empty spaces - what are we living for?  
Abandoned places - I guess we know the score…  
On and on!  
Does anybody know what we are looking for?

Another hero - another mindless crime.  
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime.  
Hold the line!  
Does anybody want to take it anymore?  
Show must go on!  
Show must go on!  
Inside my heart is breaking,  
My make-up may be flaking,  
But my smile, still, stays on!

Serena wiped her tears with her sleeve as she played. 'His Grandmother will always win no matter what. Tamaki wants a family, and the only way for him to get that is to get his Grandmother to accept him…which I guess I marry whatever floozy she presents to him. That girl is so fake…but I guess I am too, in a way. I'm not showing my emotions right now because I need to make everyone think I'm ok, even if I feel like I'm dying inside.'

Whatever happens, I'll leave it all to chance.  
Another heartache - another failed romance.  
On and on!  
Does anybody know what we are living for?  
I guess I'm learning  
I must be warmer now…  
I'll soon be turning round the corner now.  
Outside the dawn is breaking,  
But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free!

Yeah, another failed romance. She's had a few in her life, but none of them never stung so bad as this, and then she realized why. She loved him. Serena knew she had feelings for him, but she had no idea they ran that deep. Her realization stabbed her in her heart as she realized something else: she could never have him.

Show must go on!  
Show must go on! Yeah!  
Ooh! Inside my heart is breaking!  
My make-up may be flaking!  
But my smile, still, stays on!  
Yeah! oh oh oh

My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies,  
Fairy tales of yesterday, will grow but never die,  
I can fly, my friends!

'I only wish I could fly away from all of this.' She was fragile, just like a butterfly…and a big spider named Éclair killed her. She was a fairytale princess…but the evil witch took her prince charming from her, leaving her in her cold desolate tower for the rest of her life.

Show must go on! Yeah!  
Show must go on!  
I'll face it with a grin!  
I'm never giving in!  
On with the show!

I'll top the bill!  
I'll overkill!  
I have to find the will to carry on!  
On with the,  
On with the show!

Show must go on.

'The show has to go on,' she thought as the guitar's last strains faded away. Serena ran a hand through her hair. 'But who says I have to stay here?' She wanted to slap herself after that thought. 'I can't run away from this, I have to face it!'

With an angry sigh, she pulled the guitar from her shoulders and dressed in her other uniform. If she couldn't get to sleep, then she'd walk it off. Eyeing the angry storm clouds, she grabbed her umbrella as an after thought and headed out into the night.

Little did she know a certain club president was also walking around in the rain.

--

Tamaki couldn't believe what he was about to do. In the beginning, he was determined to never let the Host Club go, but now, with the entrance of this one woman, he was willing to throw it all away.

"Why is that?" he wondered aloud. 'Why am I willing to disband the club for her? And what about Serena?'

He didn't know whether or not to believe she'd bowed out that morning due to being sick. 'She would've told someone, wouldn't she? She wouldn't try to cover it like that.'

A small drop of rain interrupted his thoughts, and he looked towards the sky that just opened up. 'Just my luck, all these dark thoughts going through my brain, and now it's raining.' Huffing a sigh and hitting himself for not bringing an umbrella, he continued walking…right into Serena.

"Oh, Serena, what are you doing out here when you're sick?"

Indeed, her face was flushed and he could see her breaths coming in quick pants in the cold weather. She had an umbrella, but Tamaki was slightly worried and confused that she was just holding onto it, unopened.

"I'm fine Tamaki, really." Somewhere in the small talk they made, Tamaki grabbed her shoulder, and after realizing he had a hold on her, she gently removed his hand.

Tamaki wasn't about to let her go that easily, however. "Serena? Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

Serena stared into his curious blue eyes and felt her own soften and mist a little. "I just didn't Tamaki," she said, lying easily. "I wanted to participate today; we've worked really hard, and I didn't want to not be there just because I had a small fever."

Tamaki wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug, eyes drifting shut. "You know you can tell me anything…why didn't you?"

His breath wafted over her ear and she shivered. She loved times like this with him. Just the two of them, talking, hugging. She missed that. Blinking a few times, she made her brain function again. "Tamaki, why did you do it?"

Tamaki's eyes snapped open. Technically, she'd asked two questions: Why did he disband the club, and why did he become engaged to a girl he didn't know? Taking a deep breath and pulling slightly way, he took her face in his hands. "I had to."

Gasping as she heard his reason, she wrenched away and glared at him, "Don't you give me that excuse, Tamaki!"

"Truly Serena, I had no choice!"

She waved her hand and dismissed him, "I don't believe you Tamaki. You loved spending time with us. All of us! And I'm to believe that you disbanding the club in two seconds after you started spending time with Éclair is a mere coincidence?"

Tamaki sighed; she was angry, sick, and wet. "Please Serena, we need to get you back to your dorm room." He reached out and grabbed her by her shoulder but reared back when her hand came out of nowhere to slap him.

"Don't change the subject!" she screeched, stomping her foot to the ground. After that, she just…deflated, it seemed. "Tamaki, you said I could tell you anything, right? Anything?"

Tamaki was rubbing his cheek as he nodded, eyes wide and confused.

"Then let me tell you this: I love you, Tamaki Suoh."

He had trouble breathing; did she just say what he thought she did?

"But I know I'm not good enough because I'm just some commoner." He opened his mouth to protest, "Please, let me finish; I don't think I'll have the courage to do this again anytime soon." After he nodded, she continued.

"I'm a commoner, yes, but at least I know you. Éclair came in to the picture, and she's nothing like you. Have you noticed," she popped the umbrella open and put it over herself, despite the fact she was already wet, "that you're completely different around her? You're not the fun loving and crazy person the Host Club loves, you're like some chunk of ice." She turned her back to him and began to walk away. "So Tamaki, I know I'm not good enough for you, but just know this," she paused and slightly turned back to him, "Everyone at the club loves you, and you don't cause them problems. And I was serious abut loving you. Just remember that when you marry Éclair."

Even after Serena was out of sight, Tamaki continued to stand there in the rain. Was being engaged to Éclair really worth it? He was going to lose friends, and the Club, and- 'Serena. I can't lose her, but…' Tamaki didn't want to cause anyone anymore trouble than he could help…

'But is it really worth it?'

Serena said he wasn't a bother, but he knew he was…he got Kyoya slapped, Kaoru and Hikaru were always complaining, and Haruhi wasn't that big of a fan of him either.

But in the end, Kyoya was a good friend, the twins still laughed with him, and Haruhi only teased him.

'I need to do some thinking and re-prioritizing,' he thought as he made his way back to his dorm room, Serena's words echoing in his mind:

"I love you."

--

The next day, Serena sighed as she dressed in her uniform. Last night was a huge mistake; she never should have told Tamaki she loved him! Now she was a burden to him with her feelings…things would never be the same.

As she knotted her tie, she felt her throat close up and she hastily pulled the tie from her neck, tears gathering at her eyes. Pulling the tie loose and unbuttoning her shirt made her feel no better.

Letting her head fall to her chest, she weakly slumped to the floor, defeat sucking her into a black hole.

Why did she do that? Why did she have to tell him? She knew why…she was getting desperate. Tamaki might stay if she told him…but that was wishful thinking. Serena shook her head at her impulsiveness before pulling herself off the floor and making her way to the grand ballroom.

She had a grand event to attend to.

--

Tamaki wasn't even there.

She couldn't believe it.

Everything was set and going smoothly, costume changes were on time, and they didn't have an incident between the elder Ootori and Kyoya.

Things were running even better than hoped, and Tamaki wasn't even there to see it. It was strange how he would miss out on the things that went right.

Serena ducked back behind the curtains of the stage, clutching her flute close to her chest. Tamaki promised ages ago he would see her play at the cultural festival with Haruhi, but he wasn't there.

Haruhi placed her hand on her shoulder, having arrived a few minutes before. "He's not out there, is he?" A tear streaked down Serena's face as she shook her head. "Ugh, it's that pastry's fault!"

"Hush Haruhi, no matter how much we hate the girl, if Tamaki's set in his mind to marry her, that's what he'll do. You know how stubborn he is, and how badly he wants a family."

Ever since Serena had heard the story of Tamaki's grandmother not letting him see his mother, Serena's heart had gone out to the Prince of the Host Club. It was cruel keeping a son from his mother, and was especially cruel with how she was treating him. She wasn't even willing to get to know him; he was born from an affair, and therefore, wasn't worth her time.

Haruhi smiled as she fixed her tie, "I know, but it makes me feel better, and it does you too; don't deny it." Taking a second, Haruhi blew a note on her flute, pulling at one of the joints before doing it again and smiling gently. "Let's just hope this bugger stays tuned; it'll be awfully obvious if it doesn't."

Nodding, Serena performed the same procedure, smiling when she didn't have to adjust her flute. "Well, are you ready Haruhi?"

The other girl nodded, "Yeah, we're just waiting for the twins to announce us."

As they waited, Serena couldn't help but think how sad this all was. She came to the school as an outcast, but had found fast friends in Haruhi, and eventually, the entire Host Club. They were a family…a family Tamaki was breaking up for the sake of his real family.

For Éclair.

A sharp pain hit her in her arm. "What?"

Haruhi inclined her head out the curtains. "We've been announced; get out there!" With a slightly harsh shove, she sent Serena sprawling out from behind the curtains.

An audience member coughed, making Serena look up and turn an extremely hot shade of red. Instead of apologizing- she thought it would ruin any sort of mood that was left- she started playing.

The gentle music washed over the ears of the crowd, immediately hypnotizing them. 'Yuki' was wearing a black tuxedo, contrasting greatly with his hair, making the girls in the crowd all sigh. The fact he was playing beautiful music didn't hurt either.

As he paused and let the violins play a short interlude, Haruhi stepped out next, also clad in a black tuxedo. Walking to the opposite end of the stage, he didn't even look at Yuki, and the two began playing as if by themselves. It created an air of mystery that intrigued the crowd. For all appearances, it seemed as if the two boys had never met, and the emotions in their hearts were one in the same: great sadness.

The last note hung in the air and tapered off, leaving dead silence in the room. Both 'boys' nervously let their flutes drop from their mouths as they opened their eyes. In their playing, they had slipped shut.

Another second went by, making Serena nervous. 'Ok, did they not like it?'

Out of nowhere, someone began clapping, and eventually a chain reaction had the entire room applauding.

Serena's sensitive ears pinned the clapper to be at the back of the large space, so she set her eyes there, shocked to see…Tamaki clapping and smiling. He saw her play.

Happiness lifted her heart into her throat as excitement bubbled over in the form of tears in her eyes. Taking Haruhi's hand, she bowed, Haruhi following her example. "He heard."

Haruhi smiled, "I'm glad. Maybe it will make the oaf think."

In the time Haruhi knew Serena, she had learned a crucial thing about her friend: her emotions played through her music. When she was happy, she was singing and playing happy music, and if she was sad, the opposite was true.

"Let's hope, Haruhi."

The two girls stepped forward as a small musical of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" started setting up. Serena was disappointed to hear they were only going to perform the opening sequence. It was beautiful, but her favorite song was the one Esmerelda sang in the chapel of Notre Dame.

Stepping out from behind the curtains, she made a quick dash for a door, sighing when she came outside in the cold air of the night. Taking a breath and not caring who heard, she let her voice rise an octave normally too high for a boy to sing, and began singing the sad song that filled her heart.

"I don't know if you can hear me,

Or if you're even there

I don't know if you would listen

To a gypsy's prayer.

Yes I know I'm just an outcast

I shouldn't speak to you

But still I see your face and wonder

Were you once an outcast, too?"

Serena remembered her first days at Ouran, and then never wished to remember them ever again. People made fun of her every chance they got; she knew rich people could be snobs, but her first day had been awful.

People also thought she was a boy because she wore the boy's uniform. She didn't like dresses and was more comfortable in pants. She also felt stronger in pants…when her parents abandoned her all those years ago, she'd been in a yellow sun dress…hence the reason she didn't like the girls' uniform. Serena could have just told them she was a girl, but then she'd get made fun of more for sure.

But when she was in her music class getting made fun of for playing girly music by a bully, someone stood up for her. A boy named Haruhi talked back to a group of snobby rich kids, and the two became quick friends.

Soon after, her new friend introduced her to the Host Club, and her days were much happier after that.

God help the outcasts,

Hungry from birth

Show them the mercy

They don't find on earth

God help my people

We look to you still

God help the outcasts,

Or nobody will.

Haruhi had been lucky; the rich kids thought it was interesting that a commoner could get into Ouran by just being smart and studying all the time. Small commoner things Haruhi did were seen as amazing, if only because they were so backwards from their own ways of life.

When Serena came, there was no luster of why she'd come to Ouran. Haruhi had a certain protection around her with the Hosts. She was friends with very powerful people, and the parents of those powerful people as well. No one dared to mess with her.

But when Serena came, she was alone, with no one to talk to when she was lonely, or to comfort her when she was sad, or to protect her when she was in trouble. The first day had been Hell on Earth, until her fellow commoner protected her, and eventually, Tamaki.

She let a few strains go by unsung, but remembered an old woman asking for something in particular.

I ask for love I can possess

I ask for God and his angles to bless me

I ask for nothing,

I can get by

But I know so many

Less lucky than I

Please help my people,

The poor and down trod

I thought we all were

The children of god

God help the outcasts

Children of God.

As the song ended, she heard clapping from somewhere behind her. Spinning quickly, she came face to face with Tamaki. Clearing her throat in a nervous manner, she merely bowed.

The smile that had been on Tamaki's face fell. "Now Serena, there's no need for formalities with me, you know that."

"That's back when I knew you, Tamaki. I don't know you anymore." She shrugged and turned away from him, about to walk off, only stopping when she heard him shout.

"I'm doing what's best for you, Serena."

Serena felt her heart clench and drop to her stomach, breath catching in her throat. In a flash of memories, she recalled the last time someone said that to her.

--

_A three-year-old Serena stood in between her mother and father, looking up in slight fear of the large building before her. "Mommy, Daddy, why are we here?"_

_The golden haired woman looked to her daughter, "Daddy and I are going on a trip for work and must leave you here. We'll be back soon though, Princess."_

"_But why can't I go with you?" She pulled at her yellow sundress, waiting for one of them to answer._

"_It's what's best for you, Serena," her father replied. "There won't be any kids there, so you'll be very bored. There are lots of kids here who can play with you." He went to his knees, face to face with her and pulled her into a hug. "Your mother's right though, we'll come back."_

_She gave both of them hugs and waved tearfully, not knowing she would never see them again._

_--_

"Do you know the last time I heard someone say that to me?" she whispered, slowly turning to face him.

Tamaki gasped at the silent tears that streamed down Serena's cheeks. He'd never actually seen her truly cry, and he knew he never wanted to see her cry again, for his heart was breaking with every tear that fell from her beautiful blue eyes. "Serena…"

"It was the day my only family abandoned me. They took me to an orphanage and dropped me off, saying it was what was best for me. Maybe they weren't ready for a child, maybe they couldn't take care of me…heck, maybe they never wanted me." She rubbed at her eyes, not believing the fact she was crying in front of him. "I never expected to hear those words again, but you just…you just…" Serena fell to the harsh ground as her legs gave out, harsh sobs shaking her small frame.

With no hesitation, Tamaki shot to her side, hugging her tightly to his chest. "No, no, Serena, don't ever say that! They didn't know who they were giving up! You're a wonderful person and deserve to be loved by someone better than me."

Small arms wrapped around his waist as she buried her face into the crook of his neck. "You don't understand Tamaki," he heard her whisper, "I want you, all I need is you. If anyone's not too good for someone, it's me who's not good enough for you."

Tamaki shook his head, holding her tighter, wishing he knew a better way to comfort someone. "No Serena, you're so smart, and I'm just silly Tamaki. I could ever make you happy."

"Are you telling me I don't know when I'm happy?" Serena pulled away from him and took his face into her hands. "Are you telling me that emotion that can make my heart fly isn't happiness? You _do_ make me happy Tamaki! Remember that one day when those bullies were insulting me?"

_--_

"_Haha! You're such a girly boy; boys don't play flutes!" A tall and tough redhead boy grabbed her flute case from her hands, tossing it to another before she could snatch it back. She was faster than they were, but they outnumbered her four to one. _

"_Hey, give that back!" As the case went flying over her head, she jumped, grunting when her fingers barely grazed the sleek plastic._

"_Your music isn't even that good," said another as he snatched her music from her hands. Looking through it, he tossed it all aside when he found only orchestral pieces. "They don't even have any words in them!"_

_Serena watched in shock and dismay when her music floated in the wind and landed in the nearby fountain._

_The gang laughed before dropping her flute case and walking away._

_Quickly opening the case, she sighed in relief at her undamaged flute. Putting it together in no time flat, she played a few scales, even happier that they all sounded fine. Tucking her flute and case under her arm, she quickly rushed to the fountain in time to see her wet music float under the water spray, falling apart in a white mess._

_She slumped to her knees and buried her face in her hands. That music was the result of a whole week of writing, she didn't even sleep! She couldn't remember if she'd made copies, and cursed herself for not knowing. _

_Despair was about to claim her when a hand fell calmly on her shoulder. "Are you alright, Serena?" The boy was whispering and calling her by her real name. That meant it was one of the Hosts, but which one? She turned to see Tamaki's kind blue eyes wide in worry._

"_No, some guys were making fun of me, and now my music that I spent all last week writing's ruined…" A tearful hiccup made her blush in embarrassment. _

_Tamaki smiled, "Well, if you wrote it once, you can write it again. And they were wrong about you being a bad player of your instrument, I'm sure of it."_

"_You haven't even heard me play. For all you know, I _could _be awful."_

_Sitting back, Tamaki gestured for her to play. "Then let me hear something so I can tell the truth if someone asks how good a master you are."_

_Swallowing in slight nervousness, she nodded as she pulled her flute out from under her arm. Adjusting it a little bit, she once again played some scales to see if it was in tune. Satisfied, she played a few notes from the music that fell prey to the water._

_The blonde haired boy sighed in bliss as he listened to her soft music. It was sad, but it was amazing. When it stopped, he popped open one eye, "Is that all?"_

"_Well, it sounds better when there's two people playing; it's a duet I wrote."_

_He smiled, satisfied with her answer. "Ah, well, even if it was a solo performance of a duet, it was wonderful all the same. I've heard many flute players in my time as a Suoh, but you're the best I've heard so far. The music was telling me a story, and you have true emotions when you play."_

_--_

"When you told me that, my heart sang within my chest. One compliment from you scattered the many insults of the other boys in the wind, and I don't even think of them when I remember that day."

"What do you think of?" Tamaki blinked in confusion. If it were him he would remember the insults first.

A smile crossed her face, as did a blush, "I remember you."

Shades of red that matched Serena's danced across Tamaki's face as he heard her soft reply. "Me? What's so special about me?"

"Oh Tamaki, you really don't know do you?" Serena laughed as she leaned against Tamaki, smiling when the boy almost fell over from supporting the extra weight. "You're just…you. You make me laugh, you make me happy, you make me forget the bad things in life when you're around. I said it before and I mean it." She kissed his chin, "I love you."

"After all I've done to you and the others, you can still honestly say that you love me?"

She looked sharply up at him, eyes glaring. "Why wouldn't I? Something as small as that can't change my feelings for you, Tamaki. I admit I'm hurt by your decision, but my heart can't stop loving you."

Tamaki felt his heart flutter at her admission. Someone truly loved him? Even though he was cast out from his family? Then again, reminded himself, she was just singing about being one herself, so it obviously doesn't bother her. And then he remembered something she sang in the song. "Are you really a gypsy, or was that just from the song?"

Serena smiled, "Yeah, I'm a quarter French, and my family from back there were gypsies."

"You're French as well? That is truly astounding!" Tamaki leapt up, keeping her bridal style in his arms as he danced. "French is beautiful, no?"

She couldn't help but laugh at him. This was the Tamaki she and the others knew and loved. "Ah, it's good to have you back Tamaki," she sighed as he placed her back on her own two feet.

He paused for a moment, considering what she said. It was true; after he met Éclair, he was always treading on thin ice with her. If he did something wrong, she would patronize him before taking the situation into her own hands, often making him feel like a child that needed taking care of. His carefree side came out the first time in over a day, and he relished in it. "It's good to be back."

Serena paused, "But are you going to stay back?"

Tamaki pulled the girl into his arms and hugged her, smiling when she hugged him back, her small arms coming around his waist. "Yes, I'm going to stay back. I don't care what my grandmother says or does to me; I'm not marrying Éclair. I'd miss my Host family too much."

A happy squeal came from Serena as she leapt to hug Tamaki around the neck, hooking her legs around his waist as he laughed and spun her in a circle. "You have no idea how happy that makes me."

Setting her down and letting his hand trail down the side of her face, he whispered in her ear, "I think I do." Tamaki rubbed his nose gently against hers before he gently caressed her lips with his.

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Hope you guys liked it, read and review please!

-MoonFace01


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